The Office of Dunder Mifflin/Sabre is finally closing. Showrunner Greg Daniels revealed that the upcoming ninth season of the hit NBC sitcom will be its last and that the end date will give the producers a chance to tie everything up nicely:

All questions will be answered this year. We’re going to see who is behind the documentary. We’re going to meet some of them… and we’re going to explore [why they were filming for so long].

Based on the hit BBC show of the same name which launched Ricky Gervais to mega-stardom, The Office remains one of NBC’s highest rated shows, even since Steve Carell left the show after the seventh season, being replaced by James Spader. The show helped launch the careers of John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Ed Helms, Rashida Jones, Jenna Fischer, Mindy Kaling and others since its inception in 2005. Read more of Daniels’ plans after the jump. Read More »

Community‘s hiatus starts now, but Greendale’s coolest study group isn’t about to go quietly. Also, people who’ve previously created things we like are creating other things we also hope to like. After the jump:

The Community gang makes a “Save Greendale” PSA, crashes The Soup

The WGA and PGA announce their award nominations

J.J. Abrams and One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn sell a drama to The CW

HBO is about to start production on The Viagra Diaries with Goldie Hawn

When the season finale of Mad Men was over, there was a minor tinge of déjà vu that I couldn’t immediately pin down. Hours later, it occurred to me that one of the major twists in the finale shared several fun similarities to The Office (Scranton Branch). In fact, up until the epiphany, I had never considered Don Draper to be every bit the serious, hip and fair boss that Michael Scott is delighted to find in the mirror each morning when he combs back his hair. As is /Film’s reader friendly policy, spoilers ahead…

Most fans of The Office (Scranton, USA) are simply stoked and relieved that Pam and Jim are finallymaking it happen, so a longer glimpse down the halls of the NBC series might seem verboten. Nevertheless, series creator and writer, Greg Daniels, recently chimed in on the future of the most aloof branch of Dunder-Mifflin… Read More »

We don’t post a lot of TV news but we couldn’t let this kidney stone of bananas pass us by. Aziz Ansari of the Human Giant clan (and fellow /Film reader) has joined NBC‘s spin-off to The Office. Ansari is the first cast member to be announced for the top-secret comedy series. At this point it’s believed that the cast will consist of an all new line-up, though rumors persist about the involvement of Rashida Jones, who played Karen Filippelli, Jim’s ex-flame, on the original U.S. series. Yes, that’s the first “ex-flame” I’ve ever typed.

What’s more, the super-talented Paul Feig of Freaks and Geeks fame just boarded the show’s writing staff, which includes Dan Goor (Conan O’Brien, The Daily Show), Alan Yang (South Park), and Charlie Grandy (SNL, The Daily Show). Nice. Executive producers Michael Shur and Greg Daniels say they’re still deciding on a premise for the untitled show, set to premiere after next year’s Superbowl and thereafter in the timeslot following the ongoing trials of Jim, Pam and Michael. Yeah, you could say we’re excited…in advance. And congrats to Ansari.

In other TV news, the new season of Weeds premieres this Monday on Showtime, while the hotly anticipated second season of Mad Men premieres July 27th on AMC.

via Variety /E!

Discuss: What are your predictions for The Office spin-off? How about The Office?